Summer Sanctuary Tours
Animal Updates: May 23, 2007
The Education of Emily and Simon
Home for Life's Renaissance Program is in its 9th year, and its first year of partnership with Boys Totem Town School, which is part of the Ramsey County Correctional System and the St. Paul School District. Teenage boys who have been adjudicated to Totem Town volunteered to help HFL train some of our young dogs in basic obedience. Their goal is to help the dogs attain the skills needed to pass the Canine Good Citizen Test and achieve therapy dog certification.
Emily rolls over for her student trainer Nigel.
The most recent Renaissance Program session involves five students from Totem Town and six of HFL's young dogs. The dogs meet their trainers twice a week at the Totem Town gym and are assisted by two HFL volunteers.
There is an art to pairing students with their canine trainees, and in the case of two particular pairs, the matches were especially ideal. Emily, a bassadore, was paired with student trainer Nigel, while Simon, a red doberman, was paired with Ron. The bond between the boys and their dogs is strong, and the dogs have responded extremely well to the boys' training efforts.
Photographer Mark Luinenburg attended one of the training classes and did an amazing job capturing the strong bond these boys have with their dogs and the pride they take in the work they accomplish together. Enjoy a few of these photos as you read about Emily, Nigel, Simon, and Ron.
Emily and Nigel
As a bassadore (part basset hound and part black lab), Emily lives low to the ground. She has the short legs and long body of a basset hound with the head and shining black coat of a lab. She is smart and feisty and loves to work.
She came from a rough part of St. Paul, where she was nursing her puppies when they were taken from her and used for pitbull fighting bait. Emily tried to defend her puppies from their captors and was kicked so hard that her leg was broken.
Three days later, a young girl in the family called HFL and asked for help on behalf of Emily. Emily had received no veterinary care in the interim. The girl did not know or would not say if any of Emily's puppies had survived. Somehow, she found a ride and surrendered Emily to us at our vet's office.
Emily wore a cast for two months. We initially tried to find a home for her, but the prospective adopters were not impressive and we were not willing to have Emily end up in a situation as bad or worse than the one she came from.
While awaiting a new adoptive family, Emily cried constantly. However, the minute we decided to make her a permanent HFL resident, she totally changed her tune and became a different dog. Once she felt secure at the sanctuary and and wanted by her dog group, she became confident and even a bit sassy!
Emily and Nigel leave the gym at Totem Town, satisfied with a job well done.
Emily and several of the dogs in her new pack have become fast friends, including a young spirited afghan named Sabra. Emily is also heir apparent to the queen of her dog group, the beautiful elderly chow chow Foxy. Other members of the group include an elderly afghan named Ghost, a three-legged lab named Charlie, a border collie named Guy, and Mari, a border collie mix who is already a certified therapy dog.
Simon and Ron
Ron gives Simon some gentle encouragement, which Simon seems to enjoy very much.
Simon was surrendered to HFL last year by a veterinarian who rescued him from a heartless owner. Simon was born with a deformity of the bladder and ureters that makes it difficult for him to go any length of time without going to the bathroom. The owner locked Simon in a crate all day and became enraged when, upon returning, she found the crate soiled. She surrendered Simon to the vet's office and told him to kill the young dog. The vet persuaded her to surrender Simon, then only 9 months old, and called us to help.
Simon is all legs and tall like a gangly adolescent. He is gentle yet energetic, with soft uncropped ears and happy brown eyes. He loves to run with his student trainer Ron and loves going to class.
Simon looks forward to his runs with Ron.
Simon's roommates, mentors, and best friends are HFL's other dobermans, the feminine black-and-tan Autumn and Spirit, another red doberman.